Floor and ceiling construction



April 7, 1964 D. s. GARCIA 3,127,704

FLOOR ANO CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 farai TI jr II. l M TIII. VII. ,-II I -Il i. |.I\||. y l ,l |||.\l- III- I IWL W\\ .|I..| H ||H II." I, :1 -H .n u I TII I II Inf rmfus :v I vv.: |h.\ I I I IIN I I M I I IIL Il.,. II II III II I k\ \m.\ Q\\ N.\ N.\ Q\ I .I N- IML .l .I .i,- T II Q III I\\ I V I\ IN ENTO Dan/'eySa/cao BY who? -C ff ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 D. s. GARCIA 3,127,704

FLOOR AND CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Kamin N April 7, 1964 D. s. GARCIA FIOOR ANO CEILING CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 16, 1958 INV NTOR ,0a/viel Sagan/9 garda BY ffh'w ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 D. s. GARCIA FLooR AND CEILING CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 16, 1958 ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 D. s. GARCIA FLCCR AND CEILING CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Shee-i'l 5 Filed April 16, 1958 ATTORNEY United States Patent Oiilice 3,127,704 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 3,127,704 FLGE AND CEELING CNS'IRUCTIGN Daniel Salcedo Garcia, Caiie de La Union, 18d-B Col. Industrial, Mexico City M, Mexico Fiied Apr. 16, 1953, Ser. No. 723,839 3 Claims. (Cl. 50-389) This invention relates to improvements in door constructions, preferably of reinforced concrete.

It is among the objects to reduce time, labor and materials consumed in the construction and to produce a structure comprising prefabricated components which may be readily assembled as well as dismantled for reuse.

Conventional door constructions require elaborate and expensive forms usually of wood, which must be erected and shored up, in order that the concrete mixture may be poured into the forms and around the steel reinforcements therein, producing a monolithic beam and oor construction. So it is another object to eliminate the need for such auxiliary structures.

The invention provides a composite beam system comprising Prefabricated longitudinal main supporting beams and transverse connecting beams, which will not require an expensive and cumbersome form structure.

The invention further provides a floor construction in which the beam system and an associated ceiling structure constitute a form herein termed the ceiling form work for receiving ller material or hollow blocks to constitute the ooring.

Furthermore, the invention provides a composite beam system with ceiling and/ or door structure, in which the parts can be dismantled and reused.

According to one feature, there is provided a composite beam construction as distinct from the monolithic concrete structures, comprising an assembly of prefabricated reinforced concrete main supporting beams arranged parallel to one another, with transverse parallel rows of connecting beams or shaped blocks interposed in the spaces between the longitudinal beams and secured thereto. All the beams are recessed in such a manner as to accommodate in the recesses a system of connecting loops or frames of steel reinforcement whereby each transverse row of connecting beams is securely connected to the respective main supporting beams. Due to the recessed arrangement of the reinforcing means in the beams, the top face as well as the bottom face of the beam system remain unencumbered for the attachment thereto of covering slabs of reinforced concrete.

Another feature lies in a provision of ceiling slabs of reinforced concrete fastened to the underside of the beam system so that the resulting composite structure will constitute a form adapted to receive filler means to constitute the iiooring.

Still another feature makes provision for employing structural boards of sheeting of such materials as pressed cardboard, pressed Wood, asbestos cement, plastic, or other composition, to be fastened to the underside of the beam system as ceiling material. Inlay strips of Wood or other inserts are retained in prepared longitudinal grooves in the bottom face of the longitudinal beam, so that the sheet material may be fastened to these inlays.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view in perspective upon the composite beam system according to the concept of this invention, showing particularly the connecting reinforcing means for the beam;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the beam system similar to that shown in FIG. l, with a variety of forms of flooring applied thereto;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View looking upward at the ceiling side of the floor structure, showing various forms of ceiling plates or sheets;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view in perspective of a transverse row of connecting blocks illustrating more clearly the shape and location thereof between the main supporting beams;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section showing the profile of one of the main supporting beams, taken through vertical anchoring holes in the beam;

FIG. 6 is a side View of one of the main supporting beams, showing particularly the arrangement of the recesses and of the prepared anchoring holes therein;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the beam taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6, showing longitudinal grooves and vertical holes coinciding with the grooves;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a ilooror ceiling slab of reinforced concrete, having specially arranged anchoring holes therein;

FIG. 9 is a lateral view upon the edge portion of the concrete slab of FIG. 8;

FIG. l0 is an end view of the slab of FIG. 8;

FIG. 1l is a perspective detail view of one of the transverse connecting blocks showing one form of recess arrangement therein;

FIG. l2 is ta view similar to FIG. 11 showing another arrangement of the recesses;

FIG. 13 is a cross-section through the door construction acconding t-o one form of the invention, showing floor slabs and ceiling siabs fastened to the beam system, and showing more particularly the arrangement of vertical anchoring members employed for the slabs; and

FIG. 14 is a cross-section of the structure shown in FIG. 13.

According to this invention, what is herein specifically termed a ceiling form work, is of such a nature that it may be utilized as a form for receiving roof or floor structures or iller means. The construction maybe in a nature of a permanent structure, or it may he of a kind that can be dismantled for reuse of the component elements.

The invention provides a prefabricated construction that saves both work and time as well as forming material, as compared with the conventional system of constructing forms for concrete structures, that must be subsequently removed. The conventional system makes it necessary to construct in the locality where the floor structure or roof is to be built, a skeleton or auxiliary framework up to the height Where the roof is to be constructed. Then, at this elevation and on this frame a board work of false ooring must be constructed, both the provisional supporting framework and the board work usually consisting of lumber although sometimes of steel and steel sheeting. After this board work or form work has been constructed, there is usually placed over it the network of steel rods or the like as concrete reinforcement. The concrete mixture of cement, sand, gravel and water is then poured, and sutlicient time, several days, is then allowed for the mixture to harden before the framework may be taken down. Aside from the loss of labor and time, this entails the loss of a considerable portion of the lumber of the framework by wear and tear or by destruction, presenting a serious drawback where lumber is expensive or scarce. However, these drawbacks maybe avoided to a large extent by the practice of this invention.

This invention provides a simpliiied, practical and speedy means for building roof or floor structures by the use of the ceiling form structure above mentioned, with the advantage of allowing for a choice of dierent types of ceilings or floors, as well as of different materials thereof, and to provide a structural system that may be semipermanent or entirely movable, or that may be semihollow or solid. As for the materials, particularly those vemployed to constitute the ceiling at the bottom of the beam structure, these may comprise reinforced concrete, pressed cardboard, asbestos sheeting, plastic material and still other varieties and compositions.

With reference to the structure illustrated in the drawings exemplifying the invention, the ceiling form floor comprises as the basic structure a beam system 1t? (see FIG. l) formed by the combination of a plurality of joists or main supporting beams 11 (see also FIGS. 5, 6, 7) which may consist of steel, wood, reinforced concrete or other suitable materials. Such `a lbeam is of rectangular cross-section which according to a preferred embodiment may be provided in each of the upper and lower faces thereof with a pair of parallel channels or grooves 12 extending the entire length of the beam, each upper groove being disposed directly above and parallel to a corresponding lower groove. Each pair of upper and lower grooves 12'has a corresponding row of prepared vertical holes 13 (see FlGS. 5, 6, 7) connecting them through the beam, the holes being spaced a relatively short distance from one another. In addition, the main beams 11 have in the upper and lower surfaces thereof shallow transverse recesses 14 spaced a certain distance from one another equivalent to the distance of transverse rows of' connecting beams or blocks 15. That is to say, 'transverse connecting beams or blocks 15 are provided between the main supporting beams to constitute transverse rows, each transverse row registering with the recesses 14 in the main supporting beams, for accommodating in the recesses steel connections or reinforcements to be described below.

In the present embodiment, the main supporting beams 11 are shown resting upon walls 16 (shown in dotted lines) the beams being spaced horizontally in parallelism to one another to cover the area to be roofed or oored. Reinforcing loops or steel frames 17 comprising transversely extending upper and lower rods 17a and 17b with vertical and connecting rods 17C and 17a', serve as reinforcements 'and to securely interconnect the main supporting beams 11 with the transverse beams 14. In the preferred form herein illustrated the transverse connecting beams are in Vthe form of elongated shaped blocks of reinforced concrete of substantially the same height as the beams 11, so that they will not jut out beyond the upper or lower surface of the main supporting beam system. The upper and lower surfaces of the connecting blocks are formed with respective longitudinal channels 18 along the length of the block, and with transverse channels 19 disposed centrally across the block to intersect with the longitudinal channels 18. For the sake of obtaining solid and rigid connections in the beam structure itl, the main beams 11 and reinforcing rods 17a and 17b are further secured by provision of auxiliary steel loops or stirrups 2t) crossing the rods 17a and 1712 and extending around the l connecting blocks 15. As seen from the drawings, the reinforcing elements or rods or loops are accommodated in the system of recesses provided in the main beams and in the connecting blocks at the top and bottom faces thereof. The number of such reinforcing elements may be varied in accordance with specific requirements.

ln ythe present example, ceiling slabs Ztl @are fastened and 'anchored Ito the underside of :the beam sys-tem (see FIGS. 3 and 4), the slabs being of elongated shape consisting of reinforced concrete (see details in FlGS. 8, 9, l0). These slabs to be placed transversely of the main supporting beams `lll are of a suitable width so that they can be readily handled, and they are made as thin as is lpractica-.l vfor the present purpose. in particular, these slabs, accord-ing to one embodiment, are shown to have a reinforcing core 22 of -a rod or wire (see FlGS. 8, 9, 10) extending medially from end to end of the slab. Moreover, this slab has a longitudinal row of small prepared holes 23 coinciding with the steel core or wire ZZ, whereby respective portions of lthe core are exposed in ythese holes. These slabs 21 in turn are faste-ned to the lmain beams 11 by means of steel wires or vertical anchoring members 24 in that one end of .the anchoring member is fastened or clinched to the core 22 of the slab, Iand extending upward through a respective hole 13 in the beam may be anchored at the topside `of the beam. In the case where ceiling slabs 21 at the bottom as well as door slabs 25 at the top of the bea-m system are employed, they are fastened by respective anchoring members having their respective ends clinched to the respective reinforcing rods or wires extending centrally and longitudinally within ythe respective slabs.

Where floor slabs 25 at the top `are not to be employed, wires or ,anchoring members 2.4i may be fastened at the upper surface of the beams 11, with the anchoring mem-bers extending upwardly :through the holes 13 and having their upper ends l'anchored in the respective groove or channel 12 coinciding with the holes. Whereas various other kinds of vertical anchoring members may be employed, the one herein shown by way of example is a thick wire having upper and lower hooked ends.

A variety of ceiling Islabs or sheet elements are exemplified in FIG. 3. In the le -t hand lower portion of the drawing the ceiling `is shown to consist of the slabs 21, whereas in the upper right hand portion of the drawing it consists of `a variety of sheet materials for example the plain sheets 2d, or sheets of a checkerboard pattern `deiined by subdivision squares 26a, or sheets 217 having a pattern of perforations 28. inasmuch `as these lightweight ceiling sheets may consist of pressed cardboard or asbestos cement or plastic, etc., because of the character of these materials they may be dimensioned wider as well as longer and thinner than the slabs of reinforced Vconcrete 21 above described. In such materials it may slabs 21 or 25', as indicated in PlG. 14, they may be fastened to the beams las by means of Wood screws 28a held in strips of wood "Z9 or other material secured in the grooves 12. These inlays may be secured in the grooves as by Imeans of vertical anchoring members similar rto fthe members 24 previously described in connection with the manner of `anchoring the slabs 21 tand/or 25. Another mode of fasten-ing the light-weight ceiling sheets is by employing a mixture of plaster `and cement in proper proportions to fill the longitudinal channels 12 on the beams, for the holding screws tto .be embedded therein (see FIG. 14).

FlG. 2, shows various examples of ceilings and floors applied to the beam structure lil. ln the lower left hand part of this drawing the floor is formed by a solid or solidified filler 30 of concrete from a mixture of cement, gravel, sand and water. Next to this example, that is further along between the respective pair of beams 11, the ceiling is shown to .be formed by the slabs 21 of rein-forced concrete. Again further along between these two beams the oor comprises hollow shaped `blocks 31 superposed upon the ceiling slabs and shaped to occupy the space between the beams. In the upper right hand part of FIG. 2, ceiling slabs 21 as well as iioor slabs 25 are employed -in combination in .the .manner shown. In the lower right hand portion of FIG. 2, at the underside of the beam structure the ceiling is formed by perforated lightewe'igh-t sheet material of suitable composition, such as 4pressed cardboard, asbestos cement, plastic etc. Finally, in the lower middle portion of FIG. 2 the ceiling is shown to consist of reinforced .concrete slabs 21.

All the component elements employed in .la manner contempla-ted by this invention may Ibe prefabricated, so that they may be independent of each other. In this way, they may Ibe structurally associated with one another as in any one of the combinations described above. On the other hand, they may be dismantled and fully recovered for reuse if and where desired. If it be desired to provide a roof or oor struct-ure of the permanent type, it should -be understood that in utilizing the beam structure 1) above described, the floor or roof may be finished as by casting concrete in place upon a beam structure, using a .pourable mixture of cement, sand, gravel and water or other .appropriate materials.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises as principal `component elements incombination the main supporting beams 11, the transverse connecting .blocks 15, `and the reinforced concrete slabs Z1 and/:or 25, it is to be understood that .this combination need not be limited by the inclusion of the various channels, recesses, and prepared holes in the beams.

It will further be understood that, for example, the transverse connecting blocks may be poured in situ, whereby advantage may be taken of the beam supporting walls to furnish part of the form required to provide the concrete filler between beams at this locality. In casting the intermediate blocks 15 between the beams spaced from the walls, the procedure would require the placing of corresponding form structures between respective beams, and the placing therein of the reinforcing rods or frames or loops to establish firm and permanent interconnection between the Prefabricated main supporting beams and the transverse connecting beams which are being cast in situ.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of iioor structure differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a iioor structure of reinforced concrete, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A floor structure comprising, in combination, a plurality of supporting beams spaced parallel with respect to one another, said beams being provided in their top and bottom faces with transverse recesses so that each recess in one of the beams is aligned with corresponding recesses in the other beams thereby constituting a sequence of recesses in line transversely of the beams; a plurality of transverse connecting beams alternating with the recesses of said transverse line and in substantial alignment therewith each of said connecting beams having in its top and bottom face an open-ended groove extending from end to end of the respective connecting beams, said grooves together with said recesses in said supporting beams forming a continuous depression in the planes of the top and bottom faces of the beams; and a reinforcing frame structure of horizontally elongated rectangular configuration with the horizontal long sides thereof each extending in a respective continuous transverse depression and the vertical short sides of said frame structure extending substantially vertically across the outer side faces of the respective outermost supporting beams for firmly connecting the transverse connecting beams to the supporting beams so as to form a substantially rigid oor structure thereby.

2. A floor structure comprising, in combination, a plurality of supporting beams spaced parallel with respect to one another, said beams being provided in their top and bottom faces with transverse recesses so that each recess in one of the beams is aligned with corresponding recesses in the other beams thereby constituting a sequence of recesses in line transversely of said beams; a plurality of transverse connecting beams alternating with the recesses of said transverse line and being in substantial alignment therewith, each of said connecting beams having at its top and bottom face an open-ended groove extending from end to end of the respective connecting beams, said grooves together with said recesses in said supporting beams forming a continuous depression in the planes of the top and bottom faces of the beams, each of said connecting beams also having a transverse open-ended groove intersecting with the aforementioned groove in the bottom face and in the top face of the beam; a reinforcing frame structure of horizontally elongated rectangular configuration wlth the horizontal long sides thereof each extending in a respective continuous transverse depression and the vertical short sides of said frame structure extending substantially vertically across the outer side faces of the respective outermost supporting beams; and a wire loop for each connecting beam extending transversely around the respective connecting beam and in said transverse groove thereof while traversing the associated horizontal long side of said reinforcing frame structure, said loops and said frame structure firmly connecting the transverse connecting beams to the supporting beams so as to form a substantially rigid oor structure thereby.

3. A iioor structure comprising, in combination, a plurality of supporting beams spaced parallel with respect to one another, said suporting beams being preformed of concrete, and each of the supporting beams having a pair of parallel longitudianl grooves in the bottom face thereof, wherein there is provided an inlay strip in each of said grooves consisting of workable material with anchoring means provided for securing said inlay strips to said beams, a plurality of ceiling plates attached to and supported at the underside of said supporting beams, and fastening means for securing said ceiling plates to said inlay strips, said beams being provided in their top and bottom faces with transverse recesses so that each recess in one of the beams is aligned with corresponding recesses in the other beams thereby constituting a sequence of recesses in line transversely of the beams; a plurality of transverse connecting beams alternating with the recesses of said transverse line and in substantial alignment therewith, each of said connecting beams having in its top and bottom face an open-ended groove extending from end to end of the respective connecting beams, said grooves together with said recesses in said supporting beams forming a continuous depression in the planes of the top and bottom faces of the beams; and .a reinforcing frame structure of horizontally elongated rectangular configuration with the horizontal long sides thereof each extending in a respective continuous transverse depression and the vertical short sides of said frame structure extending substantialy verticaiiy across the outer side faces of t'ne respective outermost supporting beams for rrnly connecting the transverse connecting beams to the supporting beams so as to form a substantially rigid ioor structure thereby.

References Cited in the file of this `patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Janssen et al. July 4, 1916 Krummel June 12, 1928 Imshenetsky et al Aug. 13, 1929 Mahieret a1 Ian. 23, 1934 Washburn et 211.Y Ian. 26, 1937 Thorn Dec. 14, 1937 Johnston Dec. 16, 1947 Cruciani Dec. 20, 1955 Taylor Feb. 19, 1957 Harris etal Feb. 23, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden June 2, 1906 France Nov. 17, 1909 

1. A FLOOR STRUCTURE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTING BEAMS SPACED PARALLEL WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID BEAMS BEING PROVIDED IN THEIR TOP AND BOTTOM FACES WITH TRANSVERSE RECESSES SO THAT EACH RECESS IN ONE OF THE BEAMS IS ALIGNED WITH CORRESPONDING RECESSES IN THE OTHER BEAMS THEREBY CONSTITUTING A SEQUENCE OF RECESSES IN LINE TRANSVERSELY OF THE BEAMS; A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE CONNECTING BEAMS ALTERNATING WITH THE RECESSES OF SAID TRANSVERSE LINE AND IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH EACH OF SAID CONNECTING BEAMS HAVING IN ITS TOP AND BOTTOM FACE AN OPEN-ENDED GROOVE EXTENDING FROM END TO END OF THE RESPECTIVE CONNECTING BEAMS, SAID GROOVES TOGETHER WITH SAID RECESSES IN SAID SUPPORTING BEAMS FORMING A CONTINUOUS DEPRESSION IN THE PLANES OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM FACES OF THE BEAMS; AND A REINFORCING FRAME STRUCTURE OF HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION WITH THE HORIZONTAL LONG SIDES THEREOF EACH EXTENDING IN A RESPECTIVE CONTINUOUS TRANSVERSE DEPRESSION AND THE VERTICAL SHORT SIDES OF SAID FRAME STRUCTURE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY ACROSS THE OUTER SIDE FACES OF THE RESPECTIVE OUTERMOST SUPPORTING BEAMS FOR FIRMLY CONNECTING THE TRANSVERSE CONNECTING BEAMS TO THE SUPPORTING BEAMS SO AS TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID FLOOR STRUCTURE THEREBY. 